YAMAHA ZUMA 50 / BWs 50 – OWNER REVIEWS
1989 YAMAHA ZUMA
Milage: 1000 – 5000 Miles
Likes: It’s totally kickass, fast and lightweight
Dislikes: No 2 seater or cup holder
Review: “ Yes I purchased my scooter for dirt cheap. But it doesn’t get the super 120+mpg, it gets about 60. It has the one seater only. I like the single seater most of the time.
1990 YAMAHA ZUMA CW50
Milage: +30,000 Miles
Likes: Simply the best!
Dislikes: None
Review: “ I bought my Zuma in 1995 when the counter, limited to just 9999 km had already done three turns. The engine had been fitted with a 62cc head which had, moreover, undergone bore oversize. The rear tire had been replaced by a ten-inches Mini Austin tire. (The father of the former owner owned a garage and bought this tire after his son had used three standard tires, mainly by making smoke, during the first three weeks of use of his scooter.) No question of taking a leaning turn with such a tire, but I’ve never had to worry about wear thereof.
Originally it was red, but it was repainted in Ford 1994 turquoise. Nobody had one this color.
The speedometer cable was broken, so I was a few years without knowing the speed at which I moved around or mileage that I have done. I think the total mileage of my scooter near 60,000 kilometres (yes 37,000 miles!). I used it to go to school, then to go to work, on asphalt, on gravel, in snow and even on ice (I’m from Quebec). It has never let me down.
I’ve just had to perform routine maintenance to keep it in good condition. The engine begins to get tired, but I always use it regularly so this winter I will fit it with a new 70cc cylinder and head in the hope to ride it several more years.”
1999 YAMAHA CW 50 ZUMA
Milage: 5000 – 10,000 Miles
Likes: FUN. easy transportation. Good on side streets and off road.
Dislikes: Not enough power – Can not go fast enough for major streets. FORGET HIGHWAYS.
Review: “ I like it. It’s a lot fun to drive. Great for little trips to town.”
2003 YAMAHA ZUMA
Milage: 10,000 – 20,000 Miles
Likes: Great reliability, dependability, performance
Dislikes: At 13,000 miles I just went to a shop – not happy with them
Review: “ Should be first choice for a scooter.”
2005 YAMAHA ZUMA 50
Milage: 1000 – 5000 Miles
Likes: Gas milage, looks, not needing a tag or insurance
Dislikes: Lack of power but it is only a 50
Review: “ I have had my Zuma for about 2 months and I love it. It will do about 41 mph as long as I’m not going up hill. I have had many compliments on it and I ride it all over. I do get some dirty looks from people with big SUV’s at the gas pumps when I fill it up with only $4. I plan to do a few mods soon but nothing much.
It does everything I need it for and the black/black color looks great. GO Scooter GO.”
2005 YAMAHA ZUMA 49cc
Milage: 1000 – 5000 Miles
Likes: Rugged, Reliable, Economical, Inexpensive, No insurance or MC endorsement required in Florida.
Dislikes: –
Review: “ I have two 2005 Yamaha Zuma 49cc scooters and would be hard pressed to part with them. Fuel economy is around 70-80mpg running mostly wide open throttle. Top speed down a steep hill is around 45mph.
Both are stock except the dual headlight mod which effectively gives you twice the lighting over stock. On 55 mph roads I just move to the paved shoulder and let em pass and laugh when I catch em at the red light just up the road (ha ha ha you burned up all that high priced petro as you sped to the red light getting 10 mpg).
Off road trails are no problem. If you can walk down a trail, the Zuma can go there too. In-city commuting in 25-45mph speed zones is easy as pie and fun too.
You would be hard pressed to find a tougher scooter than this. I haver ridden over 6000 miles between the 2 scooters so I am somewhat qualified to review this scooter.”
2008 YAMAHA BWS 50
Milage: 1000 – 5000 Miles
Likes: Economy, Top speed, Fun to ride, Acceleration
Dislikes: Seat comfort
Review: “ I have had my BWS (aka Zuma) in the USA since it was new. The 2008 model has a governor on the throttle, because of pollution standards (thanks California). With the governor removed, and an inexpensive high flow air filter and stock pipe, it will do 65 km/hr on level road – fairly good considering I am about 230lbs.
Fuel economy is OK for its size. It gets around 50-60mpg riding at full throttle most of the time. I would highly recommend this fun little 2 stroke scooter to anyone.
It’s still fun to ride 4 years later. And in the summer and spring it is my daily commuter to work.”
2008 YAMAHA ZUMA
Milage: 1000 – 5000 Miles
Likes: Fast, fun, good looking scooter
Dislikes: Two stroke vibration wears on you
Review: “ I recently got a heavily modified 2008 Zuma and I love it. It’s my first scooter, I can’t believe I went so long without one. Whoever built it did a great job. The motor is now 83cc, with modified exhaust, variator, weights etc, not sure which brand parts are on it, but this thing screams. Acceleration is incredible, and it cruises around 55mph.
Gas mileage isn’t nearly as good as my friends Honda Metropolitan, but the zippiness of the Zuma is incomparable. I think most 125cc scoots would have a hard time keeping up.
I wish the previous owner gave me a list of mods so I knew what he did, but it’s the perfect combo. Only issue I had was when I first got it, it didn’t like to idle very much. I leaned it out a tiny bit, now it idles great, but it doesn’t seem to have quite as much pep.
But its close enough, and I like to not have to worry about it dying at a light.
It definitely is much louder and vibrates your butt which gets tiring when you are riding far, but I guess there’s always trade-offs.
Anyway, I love this thing and will keep it forever.”
2008 YAMAHA ZUMA 50 2-STROKE
Milage: 5000 – 10,000 miles
Likes: Everything!
Dislikes: None!
Review: “G reat choice for an urban daily rider with a maximum speed of 37-40mph. Great gas mileage of 123 mpg (but expect 90-110mpg if you are twisting full throttle all of the time). Rock-solid reliability.
Dirt cheap parts, such as Athena V-belt ($15.95), Shinko tires ($28.99-$31.99) and EBC rear brake shoes ($16.99). Stable in all types of terrain, including heavy rain.
I ride all year round every day in East Tennessee. (If the morning temperatures get within 2-3 degrees of the freezing point, then you should bring it inside or just blow a small electric fan heater into its right side for 10-15 minutes and it’ll start up on first kick.)”
Likes: Peppy (keeps up with traffic), 132 MPG.
Dislikes: S low starts compared to the 2-stroke version
Review: “ The Zuma 50 F is a good choice for Beginners. It goes roughly 42 mph and I’m 6’0”, 190 lbs, so it gets around pretty good. I would highly recommend.”
Dislikes: S peedometer accuracy
– I got 39.9 mph (Method used: GPS and averaging both directions of the same stretch.)
– It did very well with a passenger (Total passenger weight 350 lbs.)
Milage: 5000 – 10,000 miles
Likes: Very reliable
Dislikes: No dislikes
Review: ”I love my Zuma. It has been very good to me. I have only had to get one thing fixed on it. The speedometer cable, due to my own mistake of breaking it. I wish I had bought a 150cc instead of my 50cc.
The scooter is pretty good up hills. Great on gas. 132 mph. But at the price of three grand, I should have went with a real bike. Instant gratification for ya. But all in all, I’m happy for now.”
2012 YAMAHA ZUMA 50F
Milage: 0 – 1000 miles
Likes: MPG, Fit Finish, Easy and fun to ride
Dislikes: None
Review: ”I recently purchased my Zuma am very pleased with its performance. I am 6’1 and 220 lbs. My scooter fits me fine – my knees are not up against the handlebars, so restricted turning is not an issue.
Prior to my purchase, I spent hours (nee’ days) researching and comparing. Regardless of a scooter’s abilities and state-of-the-art attributes, how it fits you, the rider, to my way of thinking, is paramount. I have no qualms about the performance of my Zuma. People may bristle about how the Zuma is now a 4 stroke machine, but accelerating quickly (with the old 2 stroke) isn’t a concern of mine; I never have seen the point of fast take-offs.
It’s a 49cc scooter, not a F-16 Fighter Falcon.
The ride is always pleasant and this bike is very nimble – easy to handle. I haven’t made any modifications to my bike and probably won’t. At the most, I may add another brake light (i.e.
Knight Rider LED). I highly recommend this scooter.”
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